Take My Breath Away
by OnceUponaPen
Summary: Kai never had the best childhood. He had gotten involved with some people that were less than satisfactory. However, after being adopted and becoming apart of Governor Tenzin's family and friends along with meeting his daughter Jinora, can he turn his life around? Or will his dark past swallow him whole.
1. Runaway

"C'mon Kai, are you in or not."

The dice rattled in his hand as he gave an impish grin to the ring of boys behind him. Tossing the dice effortlessly over his shoulder, they rolled for a few moments before ending up on six. The boys groaned and threw in their money and change along with a few objects that glimmered and shined. Kai folded his arms over his chest with a haughty grin walking over to collect his winnings.

"Alright, guys, its my turn."

Kai's eyes widened slightly as he slipped the last bit of gold into the bag and one of the boys picked up the dice. The boy blinked and shook the dice for a second or two.

"Hey! These dice are loaded!"

At that point Kai was taking off down the street with a laugh, his bag of loot over his shoulder as he ran. Their thundering footsteps were closing in but he was much faster than any of them. The alleyway was rather narrow, and the streetlamps provided little light. He leaped over fallen trash cans and kicked over a few for good measure. His trail came to an end once he came to a gate, and the footsteps stopped.

"That was lowdown Kai."

"Yeah, give us back our stuff!"

Kai turned and put his hands up in a way to signify his defeat. The boys stalked closer, and it was evident that they weren't about to let him leave without their possessions. Too bad. Throwing the bag over the gate, he quickly climbed up and they ran to grab him managing to snag his ankle. Kai grunted slightly as he was drug slightly down the gate before he grabbed hold of it and pushed himself higher managing to climb up and over it. Rolling after he hit the ground, he looked back and found that the others were trying to climb over as well. An impish smile formed and he grabbed the bag taking off into the night.

"Alright, I can't go back into that district for a few days. Made a lot today at least."

He sat on City Hall's steps going through his bag. There was no one there at this time of night. Those guys were pretty stupid to trust him but he did have fun playing with them for a while. Pocketing a few things, he sifted through the others. Maybe he could get a pretty penny off of these.

"Thats a lot of stuff that you have there, son."

Alarm spread through Kai's body and he shot to his feet only to be forced back down onto the steps. Two men held his arms, and the third loomed over him staring down at him with a raised eyebrow. How could he have not noticed that they were there? Had they come from behind?

"What the heck do you want, Zahir."

Zahir raised his hands before giving him a little smile.

"Whats with the harsh tone? All I wanted was to see what you collected tonight, thats not so bad is it?"

Kai mentally prepared himself for what was going to come next. A blow came to the side of the head and the men held him tighter so that he couldn't move away. Grunting slightly, he opened one eye and then glared defiantly.

"Kai, Kai, Kai.. this is so little. But no worries, here, you can have this."

He tossed Kai a silver coin before picking up the bag. The two men released him and Zahir gave him a sickingly sweet smile. Kai hated him with his entire being. Ever since he was a little boy, he had known Zahir. Zahir was the one that took care of him after his parents had died. He had shown him how to thieve and be clever, but then after Kai had learned all he wanted to - Zahir changed. He became manipulative, cold, different from the fatherly figure that Kai had seen as a little boy. He hit him whenever he talked back, he spoke down to him, and above all else - he never let him come home. His girlfriend P'Li was a bit different. She liked Kai, she actually loved him like he was her own son but she valued Zahir's ideals over what she thought. When he had to leave, she said nothing but gave him a backwards pitiful glance before shutting the door.

He closed his hand around the silver coin, the blow to the head was causing his ears to ring.

"Are you okay?"

His vision was a bit blurry but he could almost make out the features of a girl. She was kind of pretty.

"Why're you laying out here like this? No one is supposed to be at City Hall around this time."

"I could say the same for you, ya know."

She blinked before giggling lightly and giving him a small smile.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to worry about you."

"You're excused, but please continue."

She was very very pretty. Once his vision straightened out, he could actually see her. She was really really pretty. Her hair was an ebony black and swept in her face a bit. She had the kindest brown eyes that he had ever seen, and seemingly soft pale skin. Mostly wearing an orange shirt with a yellow sleeves, a clip in her hair, blue jeans and orange ballet shoes.

"Ugh.."

He sat up a bit and rubbed the side of his head before noticing the red fluid on his fingers.

"Oh no, you're hurt."

"D-Don't worry about it, it happens ya know."

Nonetheless, she reached out and touched it before reaching into her bag. Man, even the bag was pretty. It was a light brown and had pictures stitched into it. She pulled out a handkerchief and began to dab at it before pressing a bit to stop the blood.

"Here, you can keep it."

"Uh, thanks."

She must have heard something because she stood quickly and bid him goodbye before running down the steps and into a nearby car that drove up. He sat here holding the handkerchief that was stained with his blood in awe.


	2. Breath of Fresh Air

"Kai?! Where have you been?"

His hands were shoved in his pockets as he glanced away from Miss Katara. She was the caretaker that had taken him in once he was orphaned and deserted by Zahir. It was a little disheartening but she was kind and sweet towards him. He only wished that she didn't have to put up with him.

"Don't worry about it, it was just a little scratch up."

Her eyebrows furrowed and her arms crossed as they usually did when she was upset. Stalking closer, she swept around him before looking him in the eye. He did his best not to waver or flinch under her gaze. If she even caught the tiniest bit of a wound on him, she'd yell. Holding his breath and refusing to blink, she seemed satisfied after a few moments leaning away and sighing.

Kai allowed himself to breathe and grinned believing he had fooled her.

"Zahir found you, didn 't he?"

His blood ran cold and his shoulders slumped as he looked downwards refusing to meet her glance. The handkerchief was tucked into his pocket and the distant reminder of the girl couldn't outweigh the memory.

"Kai. You have been here for quite a while and no one has come to adopt you."

"Its because I'm undesirable."

"No, it is because of Zahir. Kai, everyone is afraid of Zahir and because you know him - they fear his wrath. But no more. You are a bright and intelligent boy with a bright future along with a sweet disposition underneath all that you are. I know you thieve, Kai. I know you lie. And nonetheless, I love you."

He could feel the tears brimming but refused to let them fall.

"O-Okay. You're kicking me out? Is that why you're telling me all this?"

"No. I found a family who will adopt you."

The tears were blinked back and he was led into another room. The room only had a few couches, two lamps, a glass table, and two teenage boys sitting on either side of the table. One seemed rather surly with dark red eyes, and a slight huff. The other was excited, he was broader and bigger than the latter with green eyes.

"Hey! I'm Bolin! And that guy over there is Mako. You must be Kai."

Although he wanted to frown, he couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Yeah, I'm Kai. Nice to meet you Bolin, and er..Mako."

Mako rolled his eyes.

"Kid."

"Kai, Bolin and Mako wanted to take you into their family. They're orphans just like you and they'd be perfect rolemodels."

Bolin grinned and put two thumbs up while Mako stood and stalked over. He grabbed Kai up by his shirt startling Bolin and Katara.

"Listen brat, I know it was you last night tht cause the disruption in the Sozin District. We're taking you in because my brother didn't want to see you in handcuffs. But one step out of line and you're finished."

He sat Kai down and walked past him.

"I forgot to mention my brother is kind of a cop. Don't let him get to you. He was a bit of a troubled kid when we were young, and he wanted the best for us so he did a lot of..things. But he'll come around." Bolin reassured.

"Yeah, he seems like a swell guy." Kai snorted.

After the paperwork was filled out and Kai's things were moved over, Kai left the orphanage with Bolin and Mako. The sun was peeking over the rooftops and he blinked in confusion.

"Wait, why did you guys come now? Its dawn."

Mako gave Bolin a pointed stare and Bolin chuckled nervously.

"Ya see, we don't have our own place anymore. We're getting renovations. And we're living with a friend's family and it'd be a lot easier to explain that we adopted a kid over breakfast."

Kai blinked before shrugging, and the three headed to the nearest bus catching it and heading to the Kyoshi District. There Kai bore witness to the largest building that he had ever seen.

"Woah.."

"Yeah, isn't it the best thing ever?"

They headed in and walked to what seemed like the breakfast table. A woman holding a baby, a little girl , a little boy who was snoring standing up, a dark skinned girl dressed in jogging pants, another dark skinned woman that looked similar to Katara, a bald man, a man who was dressed in nothing more than a robe and boxers, a very pretty girl who was dressed in jogging clothes also and then her.

His eyes widened.

"Bolin. Mako? Who is this?"

"Oh, this is Kai. We adopted him from Miss Katara's orphanage."

"You did? Well thats awesome, guys."

Kai's eyes were fixated on the girl and she yawned before looking at him. They pointed at the same time.

"You?!"

Korra blinked.

"You know each other?"

Jinora glanced away with a blush and Kai smiled a little.

"Jinora?"

The boy tugged at her sleeve and she came back to her senses burying her face in her food as she ate. Kai grinned. He could get used to being here.


End file.
